


Skipping Stones

by Sundropqueen



Series: Random, Unconnected 7KingdomsAu Oneshots [1]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I don't write romance and it shows, Inspired by Varian and the Seven Kingdoms - Kaitlyn Ritter & Anna Lencioni, M/M, not beta read we die like the cowards we are, what has quarantine done to me?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 09:34:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23849020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sundropqueen/pseuds/Sundropqueen
Summary: Varian is upset after he receives a letter from home and Hugo tries to comfort him.
Relationships: Hugo/Varian (Disney: Varian and the Seven Kingdoms)
Series: Random, Unconnected 7KingdomsAu Oneshots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1821097
Comments: 12
Kudos: 177





	Skipping Stones

**Author's Note:**

> This AU is amazing by the way! If you haven't heard of it just search it up on Tumblr, it's great.
> 
> Also this was so different from what I usually write so... tell me what you think, I guess?

Hugo found Varian by the lake, overlooking the large mountainous structures that surrounded them. They’d only been in this town a week or so, but Varian was intent on staying, knowing that his friend, Rapunzel would be sending a letter there soon. Not that Hugo was complaining; it was a nice place. Calm. Quiet. If they weren't in the middle of a dangerous life changing quest, Hugo might have even wanted to settle down here.

But right now he had other matters to deal with, namely, the boy sitting dejectedly on the white sand ahead of him. 

Varian was skipping rocks, and not even the smooth kind, just any rock that was closest to him. A piece of parchment paper, the reason he'd ran off in the first place, lay face down beside him. 

Varian threw the rock. It sank immediately.

"I hate to say this, Goggles, but you suck at skipping rocks.” He meant it as a joke, and to hopefully lighten the dark mood Varian had found himself in, but Varian only sighed.

"What do you want?" He asked, voice dull. "Because if you came here just to laugh at me then I really don't want to hear it." Hugo froze. Usually, Varian bit back with one of his quips or a sarcastic retort when Hugo teased him. Having him just take it felt wrong. 

Hugo slid down next to him, staring out at the setting sun. "Sorry," Hugo said, surprising himself at how desperate he sounded. He cleared his throat, trying to bring back some bravado. "I just wanted to check up on ya. Nuru and Yong were pretty worried when you ran off like that." His hands fiddled nervously with the hem of his shirt. Nervous? Why was he nervous? He wasn't nervous.

Varian didn't even turn to look at him. He threw another rock into the lake, face blank. "Well, you can tell them I'm fine." 

Hugo glanced at the paper, itching to read it. Whatever was on it must have been why Varian was acting so moody all of a sudden. 

He stretched out his limbs, letting out a yawn.

"I  _ could _ say that. But it wouldn't be true." 

Varian's mouth formed a small pout. "What do you care, anyway? If this is about the chrysopoeia thing again I already told you, the schematics are all wrong. It would take-" Hugo cut him off. 

"No it's not that, it's just." Damn, did he really have to say it? Varian watched him expectantly. Apparently he did. "I'm worried about you. I wanted to make sure you're okay." Varian's eyes widened slightly and, oh no, he was  _ not _ going to get sentimental now. "Your old man didn't die did he?" 

To his surprise, Varian laughed. "No, he's fine. He's doing really well, actually." Varian picked up the paper, turning it slowly in his hands. Hugo stretched his neck to try to catch what it said, but couldn't make anything out. "It's… Rapunzel."

The princess he was always going on about? 

"What, did  _ she _ die?" 

"No." A bit of frustration leaked into his voice. "Nobody died, she just… she got married last week." 

Hugo's stomach dropped. 

Oh. Of  _ course _ . 

His jaw clenched. "Wow. Yeah. Real bummer." He picked at a small weed in the sand. He sighed. He knew he was acting like a jerk for no good reason but he just… maybe he'd thought… but that didn't matter now. He took a deep breath, shoving those thoughts away. "I'm sorry. But, hey, I'm sure you'll find another girl out there." He snapped his fingers. "Like that earth kingdom girl, whatserface, she seemed nice." 

Varian blushed so much it stretched out to the roots of his hair. His voice came out high pitched and embarrassed. 

"W-what? I don't…  _ like _ Rapunzel, she's just a friend." Hugo gave him a disbelieving look. “I’m serious! She’s like a sister to me.” 

"Oh." Hugo didn't even know how to respond to that. "Wait, then, why are you upset? Shouldn't you be happy for her?" 

"I am happy for her! I'm happy for both of them, it's just." He sighed and ran a hand through his tangled hair. "I missed it. Two of my best friends in the whole world just got married and I wasn't there.” He huffed, angrily chucking another rock into the lake, not bothering to skip it. Then he added, under his breath, “What kind of friend am I?” 

Hugo thought about that for a while. 

Sure, Varian could be blunt and sarcastic at times, and he liked to yell, especially when one of them got too close to his newest experiment, but that wasn’t all he did. There was that time, in the water kingdom, when he’d pulled Hugo and Yong out of the water and out of the illusion, eyes dark. Hugo had never seen him so… resigned. Like he’d dealt with worse hallucinations than that one. 

He was always cleaning up their messes and putting out fires with barely a complaint, and he comforted Yong when the younger boy had had a nightmare, (and likely when he thought Hugo was asleep.) and always listened when Nuru rambled about the stars, and gave Yong advice for his fireworks. 

And he was the first one who was willing to give Hugo a chance. 

Hugo didn’t do any of that. Hell, if anything he only contributed to the problems Varian felt inclined to solve.

He was nothing like Varian. So what kind of a friend did that make _ him _ ?

_ A terrible one. If Varian knew everything you’d done to them, to  _ him _ … He would despise you.  _

Not that Hugo would blame him.

A thick silence had fallen between them, the only sounds being the quiet call of a bird and the soft sound of waves as they rolled across the sand. 

Hugo snatched the letter from Varian’s hands, earning him a short cry of alarm. 

“Let me see this thing,” Hugo said, holding it up and out of Varian’s reach. His eyes searched the graceful handwriting. “Yup. Just what I thought.”

“What?” Varian asked. 

“Nowhere on this paper does it say that you are a terrible friend.” 

“Hey, give that back.” Varian reached again and Hugo once again pulled it away. 

“In fact, it says right here: ‘ _And_ _don’t go blaming yourself for missing the wedding, Varian. I know that what you’re doing is important, and though we missed you, I don’t blame you at all.’ And you should really listen to that Hugo kid more often; he seems really smart and handsome.’”_ Hugo set the paper down, holding his hands up in a helpless gesture. “Wow. I think that says it all. Who are you to go against a princess’s wishes?” 

Varian grabbed the paper. “She did not write-” He glanced down, mouthing the words, “Yeah, she did not write that.” He sounded annoyed, but a small smile tugged at his lips. 

“I don’t know, that’s what it looked like to me. But hey, I get it, English isn’t your strong suit, I won’t criticize that.” Varian laughed. 

“You’re the worst. I hope you know that.” Hugo smirked. Was he blushing? He definitely felt a little hot, damnit. 

“Oh, I know,” He laughed, still smiling. He paused and gave Varian a pointed look. “Still, that first part was legit.”

Varian sighed. “Yeah, I know.” Hugo stood up, brushing off his pants.

“Well, then what are you still moping about? You’ve got a mother to find.” He outstretched his hand and Varian took it. 

They slowly headed back to camp as the pink sun settled down over the mountains. 

“Hey, Hugo?” Hugo looked over and Varian smiled. “Thanks.” 

Hugo shrugged. His gut twisted. 

It was the least he could do. 

  
  



End file.
